Stall baseball team works to rebuild program

CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) - Baseball returns to Stall High School this spring after shutting down for two years.

Head Coach AJ Krakower says when he first found out he’d been selected for the position, he knew he’d be building the program from scratch.

“The first time I came out it was two kids for the first four days,” Krakower said. “And then I decided to go to lunch during my planning period. I came to the lunch over here.”

The coach says they didn’t have any equipment when they first started, but he was quickly taken back by the support from the community.

“People, other parents from Summerville, the Messina’s came out and gave us a ton of shoes and cleats, so it’s really been like a whole community thing,” Krakower said.

The national organization Perfect Game also donated gear for all the players.

Krakower says overall, this season has been a huge building block.

Freshman first baseman Jamene Deveaux says this is his first time ever playing baseball.

“The first day, I couldn’t throw the ball correctly,” Deveaux said. “Now, I’m starting.”

“Our first baseman, I wouldn’t even believe he didn’t play baseball three weeks ago,” Krakower said.

Players say they’re learning life lessons through the game of baseball at Stall High School.

“Say in school, if you get bad grades or do bad on a test, you gotta go back and keep studying and keep going over it.” freshman shortstop Jesiah Shepard said.

Deveaux added that lessons learned in baseball, and from Coach Krakower, are translatable to other aspects of life.

“I learned when I make a bad play he’ll be like, keep your head up,” Deveaux said. “You know, it’s a lot of errors, errors in baseball, it’s like life. If you make a mistake, you get back up, keep your head up. You get a strike, keep your head up. You get a strike, keep your head up, you got a lot more.”

For Coach Krakower and the Warriors baseball team, they says it’s special knowing they’re setting the foundation for future baseball players at the school.

“It’s nice to know that I’m part of the start of something that’s going to be good in a couple of years.” Deveaux said.

Junior pitcher and shortshop Derome Brooks says his teammates have helped him keep a positive attitude.

“Come out here if you wanna play, come out here if this is what you like to do. That’s all,” Brooks said.

And they’re building lasting relationships along the way.

“I love them, they’re my brothers,” Deveaux said. “I’ve known some of them since 6th grade and I just met some of them, but I love all of them like blood, like family.”

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